Farmington wins high school rodeo finals

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) - The National High School Finals Rodeo will be coming to Farmington, which outbid three other Western cities for the event in 2002 and 2003.

The decision was announced Saturday in Denver. Farmington won over Pueblo, Colo.; Huron, S.D.; and Oklahoma City.

Officials have estimated the 10-day rodeo could mean a $15 million to $22 million impact on San Juan County each of the two years, based on what other host cities have experienced.

"As far as an event, this will be the biggest event San Juan County or the city of Farmington has ever brought in," including the Connie Mack World Series that comes to Farmington each year, said Mayor Bill Standley.

Rodeo events will be held at two parks, McGee and SunRay.

"We don't have all the details yet," Standley said. "We have to work out the final agreement and contract."

The annual July event is expected to draw between 8,000 and 10,000 rodeo participants, family members and spectators from up to 35 states and three Canadian provinces.

Ken Stone, senior vice president of marketing and communications for SunRay Gaming and a member of the local rodeo committee, traveled with other committee members to Denver to lobby for the city. He said voting was so close the cities each had to give a second, eight-minute presentation.

"It was a tough competition," Stone said. "It's kind of David and Goliath when it comes down to Oklahoma City and us. Our presentation was really about desire, ability and resources."

Stone believes weather also helped push Farmington ahead.

"I told them, 'If you're still undecided, think ahead to July 2002. Oklahoma City will be 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity. Farmington, 85 degrees and 4 (percent) or 5 percent humidity.' That basically pushed, I think, a lot of people over the edge," Stone said.

Huron, S.D., which held the rodeo in 1978, was hurt by limited lodging, said Peggy Woolridge, executive director of the Huron Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"We were just hopeful we could overcome it with our camping, because this is a camping group," she said.